The year 2025 was marked by a series of consequential government actions in Nigeria, ranging from unprecedented security interventions and sweeping economic reforms to major shifts in education policy and diplomatic appointments.

These ten pivotal decisions, compiled by The PUNCH, instigated nationwide debates, reshaped governance, and significantly impacted the lives of Nigerians.

1. Emergency Rule Imposed in Rivers State

In March 2025, the Federal Government took the extraordinary step of declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State. This decision resulted in the suspension of the Governor, Deputy Governor, and all state lawmakers for a period of six months. The measure was enacted amidst a prolonged political crisis, largely attributed to a bitter power struggle between former Rivers Governor (and current FCT Minister) Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The Federal Government defended the intervention, stating it was necessary to restore order and safeguard critical oil infrastructure. A retired Navy Vice-Admiral, Ibok-Ete Ekwe, was installed as the Sole Administrator. The emergency rule was lifted in September, restoring the suspended officials and constitutional governance, which the government linked to improved cooperation among political stakeholders. However, opposition figures decried the move as an overreach and an attempt to override the people’s democratic mandate.

2. Implementation of a Revised National School Curriculum (2025/2026)

Ahead of the 2025/2026 academic year, the federal government introduced a revised national curriculum for primary and secondary schools. This reform signals a major shift towards skills-based learning, incorporating expanded vocational, technical, and digital-skills training. A key component is the introduction or strengthening of subjects focusing on national history, heritage, and civic studies. The biggest change involves integrating vocational and trade-oriented subjects even at the basic and junior-secondary levels. This significant education reform sparked debates among parents, teachers, and students regarding the readiness of schools and the availability of resources for practical training delivery.

3. Sharp Increase in Passport Fees

Effective September 1, 2025, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) dramatically increased passport fees. The standard five-year passport now costs ₦100,000 (up from ₦50,000), while the ten-year passport costs ₦200,000 (previously ₦100,000). Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo explained that the fee hike was necessary to finance automated processing, enhance passport security, and, crucially, cut issuance delays, aiming for a turnaround time of one week. Despite the promise of dramatic service improvement, the decision drew widespread condemnation from Nigerians, labor unions, and civil society groups, including the Nigeria Labour Congress, who labelled the increase as “exploitative” amidst existing economic hardship.

4. Nationwide Security Emergency and Mass Recruitment

In November, responding to escalating nationwide abductions, banditry, and insurgency, the government declared a nationwide security emergency. As part of this declaration, the government authorized the recruitment of 20,000 new police officers and sanctioned the deployment of forest guards to combat armed groups operating from remote areas. President Bola Tinubu stressed that the action was imperative to protect lives and curb the spread of insurgency, directing security agencies to prioritize the securing of vulnerable zones. The declaration underscores the mounting public anxiety over insecurity and signals a more aggressive, federally coordinated security posture, though the long-term effectiveness of the recruitment remains a key question.

5. Comprehensive Tax Overhaul Legislation

In a major move to streamline public finance, the President signed four sweeping tax reform Bills into law in June 2025. These include the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2025 (NRS), and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, 2025. The legislation repeals and consolidates multiple outdated and complex overlapping tax statutes, establishing a new, centralized revenue-collecting body. The goals of the reform are to simplify compliance, broaden the tax base, and reduce leakage, thereby fundamentally altering the landscape for businesses and public revenue generation.

6. Filling Long-Awaited Ambassadorial Posts

In a critical move signaling renewed focus on foreign policy, President Bola Tinubu submitted the names of three non-career ambassadors—Kayode Are, Aminu Dalhatu, and Ayodele Oke—to the Senate for confirmation in November 2025. This action ends a prolonged diplomatic vacuum where many Nigerian embassies were led by chargés d’affaires. The lengthy delay had drawn heavy criticism, with observers arguing that the absence of formally appointed ambassadors had weakened Nigeria’s international voice, hindered essential consular services, and negatively impacted trade and investment.

7. Overhaul of Top Military Service Chiefs

In October 2025, President Tinubu carried out a sweeping reshuffle of Nigeria’s military leadership in an effort to reorient the nation’s security architecture. The changes saw Olufemi Oluyede move from Chief of Army Staff to Chief of Defence Staff (replacing Christopher Musa), Waidi Shaibu become the new Chief of Army Staff, S.K. Aneke named Chief of Air Staff, and Idi Abbas taking ... of Chief of Naval Staff. The presidency stated the reshuffle was intended to strengthen the national security apparatus amid persistent violence and insurgency. The move was widely viewed as a strong signal of the government’s commitment to recalibrating security strategies.

8. Maryam Sanda Clemency Reversal and Controversy

A major controversy erupted in October 2025 when the federal government initially included Maryam Sanda on a broad clemency list, granting her “mercy” for her 2020 conviction of culpable homicide. Sanda was sentenced to death by hanging for the 2017 killing of her husband. The inclusion triggered immediate, widespread public outrage and condemnation from the deceased’s family, opposition figures, and civil society groups, who warned that pardoning a capital offence set a dangerous precedent. Facing intense backlash, the presidency quickly re-reviewed the list, and Sanda was removed from the outright pardon list; her death sentence was instead commuted to a 12-year jail term. The final clemency list was significantly trimmed, with many convicted for serious crimes being deleted.

9. Historical Pardons and National Honours Exercise

Also in October 2025, President Tinubu used his constitutional prerogative of mercy to grant a significant wave of pardons and clemencies, coupled with national honours. Posthumous pardons were granted to prominent historical figures, including Herbert Macaulay (a pioneer of nationalism whose colonial-era conviction had long tainted his legacy) and Mamman Jiya Vatsa (a military officer and poet executed in 1986). The clemency also extended to the Ogoni Nine, including Ken Saro-Wiwa, executed in 1995. This exercise, which covered 175 beneficiaries, was hailed by supporters as a symbolic repudiation of past injustices and a restoration of dignity.

10. NELFUND Student Loan Disbursements and Oversight

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) continued its operation throughout 2025, providing vital financial support to students in tertiary institutions. By March, NELFUND had disbursed ₦45.1 billion in student loans, a figure that rose to ₦56.85 billion by May, benefitting over 298,000 students across 198 institutions. The funds were split between tuition fees (paid directly to institutions) and living allowances, providing essential relief amid rising education costs. NELFUND successfully completed the 2024/2025 loan cycle, demonstrating its operational continuity despite ongoing public oversight challenges regarding the system’s long-term sustainability and equity.

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